SomeoneDumb:I wonder what language the sign interpreter was using, unless they're all the same. I dunno. Is signing a universal language?

They have more than one option, but ASL is the most common. Regardless, I think the problem is that he seemed to keep using the exact same motions, I would guess that he WAS just making it up, or he was re[eating the same 3 words over and over.

THX 1138:Newsflash: More than one version of sign language exists. More at 11.

-Oh wait, the allegagions of a fake interpreter are from one guy on Twitter? Never mind. Stop the presses! This has gotta be true!

A: The allegations are from someone who knows sign language.B: Anybody with the observational capabilities of a kumquat will notice that the guy just uses the same 3 or 4 gestures over. Was the record stuck, or something?

It reminds me of a company my wife used to work for. They hired a translator for their marketing department but didn't vet her with any French speaking person or organization. I guess you're just going to trust that this person actually can translate?

Mikey1969: Anybody with the observational capabilities of a kumquat will notice that the guy just uses the same 3 or 4 gestures over. Was the record stuck, or something?

The speaker used the phrase "former president" three times, and the interpreter included the same sign in his delivery each time. When he translated other parts, he used different signs. I also had to note that when translating "the Mandela family", he used a sign that had a 'gathering' motion to it, which is similar to American sign language when indicating a group of people (team, class, family, etc), so it did look plausible to me.

THX 1138:Mikey1969: Anybody with the observational capabilities of a kumquat will notice that the guy just uses the same 3 or 4 gestures over. Was the record stuck, or something?

The speaker used the phrase "former president" three times, and the interpreter included the same sign in his delivery each time. When he translated other parts, he used different signs. I also had to note that when translating "the Mandela family", he used a sign that had a 'gathering' motion to it, which is similar to American sign language when indicating a group of people (team, class, family, etc), so it did look plausible to me.

Except that he used the whole supposed "former president" series of signs at least once more.

The Deaf Federation of South Africa on Tuesday accused an unidentified man who provided sign language interpretation at Nelson Mandela's memorial service of being a "fake," the Associated Press reported.Three sign language experts told the federation that the man wasn't signing in either South African or American sign languages, according to the AP.

The "interpreter" was IMHO just flashing ANC Gang signs with no regard to what the speaker was saying. It's an INCREDIBLE insult to the South African Deaf Community who are absolutely GOBSMACKED by this.

The exact same "interpreter" is in this video celebrating the ANC's 100th anniversary by current South African President singing "Kill the Boer." (the Dutch Afrikaaner white oppressors who established Apartheit in the first place) I can't speak for the Zulu translation, but the "interpreter's" signs are clearly crude made-up sign that matches the captions perfectly.

It seems to be President Jacob Zuma's personal "interpreter," who doesn't know SASL or any sign language whatsoever but Zuma breaks out whenever he feels to flash ANC Gang Signs for his personal amusement, event at Mandela's funeral. Zuma has just took a shiat on South Africa's Deaf, made fools of the entire world including President Obama who this Clown was supposedly interpreting, and used Mandela's funeral as an excuse to do a Touchdown dance, in the process DESECRATING everything Nelson Mandela stood for.

The "interpreter" was IMHO just flashing ANC Gang signs with no regard to what the speaker was saying. It's an INCREDIBLE insult to the South African Deaf Community who are absolutely GOBSMACKED by this.

The exact same "interpreter" is in this video celebrating the ANC's 100th anniversary by current South African President singing "Kill the Boer." (the Dutch Afrikaaner white oppressors who established Apartheit in the first place) I can't speak for the Zulu translation, but the "interpreter's" signs are clearly crude made-up sign that matches the captions perfectly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fzRSE_p1Ys

It seems to be President Jacob Zuma's personal "interpreter," who doesn't know SASL or any sign language whatsoever but Zuma breaks out whenever he feels to flash ANC Gang Signs for his personal amusement, event at Mandela's funeral. Zuma has just took a shiat on South Africa's Deaf, made fools of the entire world including President Obama who this Clown was supposedly interpreting, and used Mandela's funeral as an excuse to do a Touchdown dance, in the process DESECRATING everything Nelson Mandela stood for.

I think the irony is that having had Mandela as a president, South Africa now has Zuma.